THE MAN OF SIN. James E. Law

Transcription

1 THE MAN OF SIN James E. Law

2 CHRIST IS NOT COMING IMMEDIATELY Some other things will happen first (and they will take some time) 1. When Paul started the church at Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-9), he talked with them about the second coming of Jesus (2 Thes 2:5). 2. Later after leaving Thessalonica, Paul sent Timothy to see how they were doing (1 Thes 3:1-2). In general, Timothy brought back a good report (1 Thes 3:6) but he probably reported a question they had about the fate of those who died before the second coming (1 Thes 4:13-18) 3. Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians in response to Timothy s report. 4. The Thessalonians came to believe that the second coming was imminent and as a result were very troubled (2 Thes 2:1). They may have misunderstood Paul s first letter or may have been the target of false teachers (2 Thes 2:2). 5. Paul comforted them with the assurance that Jesus was not returning immediately. Other things were to happen first and they would take some time (2 Thes 2:1-12).

3 CHRONOLOGY OF 2 THES 2:1-12 A General Model Restraining force Apostasy Mystery of lawlessness Now, (~AD 51) The time of 2 Thes 2 The restraining force is taken out of the way Man of sin is revealed Signs are performed Many are deceived Christ returns. The Man of Sin is destroyed There is an apostasy

4 WHAT WAS THE MYSTERY OF LAWLESSNESS? 2 Thes 2:7 The mystery of lawlessness was: The work of false teachers in promoting heresies that was later to blossom into full-blown apostasy Their work is dangerous and damaging but, for the moment, it was being conducted behind the scenes and under the cloak of respectability.! And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who!!!came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that!!t!hey might bring us into bondage (Gal 2:4 ).!!!But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall!!be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies,!!even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves!!swift destruction (2 Pet 2:1 )!

5 THE MYSTERY OF LAWLESSNESS 2 Thes 2:7 1. Jesus said (~AD 30): Many false prophets and those claiming to be the Christ will come and will deceive many (Matt 24:4-5, 11) 2. Paul said (~ AD 51): The mystery of lawlessness is already at work. (2 Thes 2:8)... Some (the Encratites) will depart from the faith... forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats... (1 Tim 4:1-5) Some will try to deceive you with a religion of neglect of the body - ascericism and other false doctrines (Col 2:18-23) 3. Peter said (~AD 63):... There will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. (2 Pet 2:1). 4. John said (~AD 90): Even now many antichrists have come. (2 John 2:18) They went out from us. (2 John 2:19) Some denied that Jesus was the Christ (2 John 2:22) Some denied the Father and the Son (2 John 2:22) Some denied that Jesus came in the flesh (the Docetics) - 2 John 4:1-3

6 HERESIES OF THE POST APOSTOLIC CHURCH In AD 187, Irenaeus counted 12 sects of Christians and in AD 384, Epiphanius counted 84. Major Heresies 1. Gnosticism - the quest for god-like knowledge through mystic means 2. Marcion / Macionites (AD 140) - Misunderstood Deity, denied that Christ had a natural body, advocated celibacy and asceticism 3. Montanus / Montanists (AD 156) - Claimed gift of prophecy, looked for immediate return of Christ, neglected families, practiced asceticism. Minor Heresies 1. Encratites -Abstained from meat, wine, and sex 2. Abstinents - Practices self mortification and condemned marriage as a sin 3. Doecetics - Taught that Christ s body was merely a phantom, not human flesh 4. Theodotians / Ebionists - Taught that Christ was only a man 5. Adoptionists - Thought that Jesus was born a man but achieved divinity through moral perfection 6. Modalists - Taught that the Father and the Son were only one person 7. Monophysites - The Father and the Son are only one nature 8. Monothelites -The Father and Son are only one wll

7 THE ROMAN EMPERORS WERE NOT THE MAN OF SIN Roman Emperors like Caligula were evil men who viciously attached Christianity. Could they have been the Man of Sin or the Antichrist? Probably not, because no significant apostasy associated with Roman persecution. Instead, the church grew during this period. And the last gift of the Roman Empire, perhaps macabre as it seems, was the persecution of Christians. The Church thrived under such tyrants as Caligula and Nero. As one man put it, "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church."

8 WAS MARCION, MONTANUS, OR OTHER GNOSTIC HERITIC THE MAN OF SIN? The inspired Apostles Gnostic Apostasy (Led by Marcion, Montanus, and others) False teaching Now, (~AD 51) The time of 2 Thes 2 The Apostles all die Gnostic leaders gain power Signs are performed Many are deceived There is a large falling away in the middle of the second century Christ returns. The Gnostic false teachers and their followers are judged This possibility has some merit. Paul and John did teach against Gnostic heresies in their day and there was a significant apostasy led by Marcion and Montanus in the 2nd century.

9 THE REAL MAN OF SIN The succession of Catholic popes were probably Paul s man of sin. They were restrained for a while by the Roman Empire then led a great apostasy that lasted hundreds of years. The Roman Empire The succession of Catholic Popes False teaching Now, (~AD 51) The time of 2 Thes 2 The Roman Empire declines Popes assume power Signs are performed Many are deceived There is an apostasy throughout the dark and middle ages Christ returns. The Popes and their followers will be judged

10 WAS THE ROMAN EMPIRE Paul s Restraining Force? Caligula Caesar Nero Diocletian From The Apology by Tertullian (2nd Century AD) There is also another and a greater necessity for our offering prayer in behalf of the emperors, nay, for the complete stability of the empire, and for Roman interests in general. For we know that a mighty shock impending over the whole earth-in fact, the very end of all things threatening dreadful woes--is only retarded by the continued existence of the Roman empire. We have no desire, then, to be overtaken by these dire events; and in praying that their coming may be delayed, we are lending our aid to Rome's duration. [Chapter 32] We pray, too, for the emperors, for their ministers and for all in authority, for the welfare of the world, for the prevalence of peace, for the delay of the final consummation. [Chapter 34] Cyril of Jerusalem (4th Century AD) Thus the predicted Antichrist shall come, when the times of the Roman Empire shall be fulfilled, and the end of the world shall approach. Ten kings of the Romans shall arise together, in different places indeed, but they shall reign at the same time. Among these the eleventh is Antichrist who, by magical and wicked acts, shall seize the Roman power.

11 DEATH OF THE OLD ROMAN EMPIRE; BIRTH OF ITS REPLACEMENT When Christianity conquered Rome, the ecclesiastical structure of the pagan church, the title and vestments of the pontifex maximus, the worship of the Great Mother and a multitude of comforting divinities, the sense of super sensible presence everywhere, the joy or solemnity of old festivals, and the pageantry of immemorial ceremony, passed like maternal blood into the new religion, and captive Rome captured her conqueror. The reins and skill of government were handed down by a dying empire to a virile papacy; the lost power of the broken sword was rewon by the magic of the consoling word; the armies of the state were replaced by the missionaries of the church moving in all directions along the Roman roads and the revolted provinces, accepting Christianity, again acknowledged the sovereignty of Rome. From Will Durant s World History, Caesar and Christ, Pages

12 THE ADVENT OF THE ROMAN POPERY Imperial manifesto by Valentino III recognized the Bishop of Rome as supreme over the Western church. Power enhanced by the move of the seat of government to Constantinople In middle of 6th century Pope Celestine claimed power over all earthly kingdoms as the Vicar of the Most High God. The date when this dogma was proclaimed was the true birthday of the Popery. The Bishop of Rome had till now sat in the seat of Caesar, henceforth he was to sit in the seat of God.

13 WERE THE SUCCESSION OF CATHOLIC POPES Paul s Man of Sin or the Antichrist? The Man of Sin (2 Thes 2:1-12) Exalts himself above all that is called God or is worshipped Sits as God in the temple of God showing himself that he is God Comes with power, signs, and lying wonders Deceives many Will be destroyed by God The Small Horn (Daniel 7:20-21; 8:23-26) Will speak pompous words against the Most High Will persecute the saints Will be defeated by the Ancient of Days The Land Beast (Rev 13:11-18; 19:20) Performed great signs Deceived many Persecuted the saints Was destroyed by God

14 WERE THE SUCCESSION OF CATHOLIC POPES Paul s Man of Sin or the Antichrist? Quotes from John Fox s Book of Martyrs In the year 1524, at a town in France, called Melden, one John Clark set up a bill on the church door, wherein he called the pope Antichrist. For this offence he was repeatedly whipped, and then branded on the forehead. A Protestant gentleman, of considerable fortune, at Bobbio, being nightly provoked by the insolence of a priest, retorted with great severity; and among other things, said, that the pope was Antichrist... Having recovered his former situation, he (Wickliffe) inveighed, in his lectures, against the pope-his usurpation-his infallibility-his pride-his avarice- and his tyranny. He was the first who termed the pope Antichrist. "Do you not know that the pope is very Antichrist, whom the Scripture speaketh of? But beware what you say; for if you shall be perceived to be of that opinion, it will cost you your life." Here he continued until Queen Mary's succession to the throne, when the Gospel and true religion were banished, and the Antichrist of Rome, with his superstition and idolatry, introduced. "And as for the pope, I refuse him as Christ's enemy, and Antichrist, with all his false doctrine." Twice at Rome he had seen the pope born about on men's shoulders with the false-named Sacrament carried before him, presenting a true picture of the very Antichrist

15 WHAT IS TRUTH IN THE 21ST CENTURY? 2 Thes 2:10 Perception is all there is. (Hillary Clinton) Feminist analysis begins with the principle that objective reality is a myth. It recognizes that patriarchal myths are projections of the male psyche. (Ann Scales) It s how you feel that counts; being sincere...